Letters to the Editor

Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 11:34pm

Even when Cheney’s right, he’s wrong

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, still smarting from his party's loss in 2009, continues to come out swinging.

His latest TV interview has him livid that the current Obama administration would even think of investigating Bush's antics. As testament to his job performance, he correctly states there hasn't been a al-Queda attack on American soil for eight years.

Sounds good as a sound bite, but I got to thinking. America sends 135,000 troops to smack dab in the middle of the Middle East. With the famous ‘surge,’ we had 165,000 U.S. soldiers there. That's a middle-sized city.

So, instead of these ‘terrorists’ having to emigrate to the USA, live as sleeper cells, awaiting bin-Laden's command to wake up and kill, they can just stay at home, with friends and family, and kill us there.

The death toll, since 9/11, now stands at 4,350 and not likely to be reduced as long as we're there, six years and counting. To Al-Queda and all those that hate us, whether they kill us here or there, makes no difference.

And a special note to Dick Cheney: Please go to an ‘undisclosed location.’

78 Comments on this post:

It was investigated, starting in 1994. The IG presented his report to the Justice Department, who recommended only one prosecution. Congress was fully briefed, regardless of what Nancy Pelosi says.

This is nothing more than the worst political retribution, using the power of the White House and the justice department to destroy the opposition party. Maybe Bush should have spent his first couple years destroying Clinton and his cabinet.

By:bnakat on 9/2/09 at 2:20

Mr. D'Argent: Based on what I am sure are your confirmed convictions, you have long and loud railed against the Bush Administration. Body counts, and "connect the dots" admonitions have served as mantras for you. Your letters, and numerous posts clearly exhibit your belief that former Vice President Cheney is motivated only by money, oil, and politics. Comments from numerous and diverse sources indicate that many agree with your assessment. However, millions hold a different view.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney dearly loves the country he publicly served for decades. He is genuinely concerned that misuse of executive power to punish those who lawfully served in the WAR AGAINST TERRORISM is a travesty of justice. It will only serve to further weaken our current stance, and embolden our enemies. By speaking out as he has, some conclude that he fears personal retribution as a war criminal. It would rather seem that if such were the case he would lie low, and say nothing. Why would he draw attention to himself?

The core of your LTE focuses on fighting the enemy on foreign soil, rather than here at home. Have not most of our wars been fought "over there" to avoid having to fight here? The Islamic terrorists want to destroy Israel and the West, especially the U.S. Terrorism includes not only death, but disruption of normal activities. That is better accomplished on an adversary's soil than elsewhere. So yes, it does make a difference if they kill us here, or there.

I am not so naive as to expect you to abandon your strident postions. However, an honest evaluation of others' arguments can be enlightening. And yes, I strive to practice what I preach.

By:dooley on 9/2/09 at 2:45

You righties can try to sugar coat it any way you want but the fact remains that Cheney, Rumsfeld , Ashcroft and Gonzales are vicious criminals and should be prosecuted for their crimes . Bush should be confined to a mental institution for not knowing what they were doing and not caring.

By:house_of_pain on 9/2/09 at 6:11

d7, I heard that Cheney will be opening for Sugarland when they go on tour...

By:Kosh III on 9/2/09 at 6:43

"We found the weapons of mass destruction" Bush 5/29/03

"Iraq will not require sustained aid" OMB Director 2/03

"It could last six days, six weeks, I doubt six months" Rumsfeld 3/03

By:dargent7 on 9/2/09 at 6:50

bnakat: I stand by what I wrote.
You and other's like you, (GOP stallwards, true red, white, and blue), want to believe Cheney's motives and actions are motivated by his "dearly loved his country"...Hah!
He was CEO of Halliburton. Bush as a co-conspirator, was up to his ears in OIL since birth. Don't you find it odd, to say the least, both men found it essential that America now occupies Iraq, the second largest oil reserves on the planet? Just a coincidence? And add into the formula Bush talks and walks with Jesus and had a yearning to transform the Middle East into a Christian Nation. Put these two minds together and what you have is 6 years of hell on earth. Now we're stuck in Afghanistan, building up our army to do what? Chase "the enemy" for another year after year. Are you waiting for a "Nixonian" declaration: "Peace with honor" from those two wars? Good luck.

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 7:04

Good morning.

Dragon must be having nightmares since he made his posted his on the 1st.

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 7:34

Hey where did the "T" go in this?

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 7:44

Verbal Cartoon

A child cries out in the night. The mother runs to her son's bedside. "What is wrong"? she says hold the boy.

"There is an evil monkey in my closet", says the frighten boy.

"Oh no sweetheart," said the mother. "There are no evil monkeys in your closet." To prove to her son that there was nothing to be afraid of, she picks him up and carries him to the closet.

Opening the door she says, "See there is no evil monkey in your closet. It is only chiefpayne hiding in the closet."

By:gdiafante on 9/2/09 at 7:55

Well Dargent, I see that you have no problem calling out Bush and company concerning their failings in Iraq and Afghanistan, but now the shoe's on the other foot...and the military is asking for more troops in Afghanistan...It will be interesting to see if Obama learned anything from Iraq.

So, the real question is, are you a pacifist or just a partisan?

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 8:01

Afghanistan was were the real war is. Bush left it unattended fo 7yrs and now we have a harder road to go.

By:gdiafante on 9/2/09 at 8:04

I agree nemo.

By:chiefpayne568 on 9/2/09 at 8:10

Nemo,

An obvious attempt to draw me out...but then, I expect nothing less than juvenile comments from you.

By:chiefpayne568 on 9/2/09 at 8:11

It appears Obama is going to forego the public option. Should be interesting to see how this plays out since Pelosi said there would be no healthcare bill without a public option.

"Recent town-hall uproars weren't just about health care. They were also eruptions of concern that the government is taking on too much at once.

That suggests trouble for the president and his party, and fears of losses in next year's midterm election are likely to shape the Democrats' fall agenda."

By:house_of_pain on 9/2/09 at 8:15

The table is set...but will it turn?

By:gdiafante on 9/2/09 at 8:17

Sorry Dargent, we were on topic until someone started a futile barrage of links again...

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 8:21

By: chiefpayne568 on 9/2/09 at 8:10
Nemo,

An obvious attempt to draw me out...but then, I expect nothing less than juvenile comments from you.
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It works every time little man.

Your buttons are so easy to push.

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 8:25

By: gdiafante on 9/2/09 at 8:17
Sorry Dargent, we were on topic until someone started a futile barrage of links again...
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gida

Just flush the post and ignore what closet monkey has to say.

By:gdiafante on 9/2/09 at 8:30

Personally, I think Obama will be more receptive to 'change' in Afghanistan and will give the asked troops.

But our guys are still stretched way too thin for my taste. If fighting two wars simultaneously is going to be the norm for the next decade, maybe they should think about some kind of draft.

Just sayin'

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 8:40

I agree gida. Obama is more flexable than Bush. When Bush screwed up his solution was to stay the course and or lose focus and start another war.

Just like with Rome of old. The army is stretched and we are having to hire outside help to maintain an Army.

By:chiefpayne568 on 9/2/09 at 8:42

Hummm...coaches, military, wonder what other employed group mostly vote Republican?

There is quite a correlation with our current state of affairs and Rome, isn't there nemo?

By:dargent7 on 9/2/09 at 11:16

This paper needs to either pay it's electric bills or get another server....
GD: I'm neither a pacifist, racist, or Communist. I'm a Detroit Lion.
Yes in deed...you think 0-16 bother's us? No way.
The best quote I heard in the 20th century was from Anthony Hopkins (Actor)...
"I got nothing to win, nothing to loose, and nothing to prove".
I already have that on my tombstone.
(along with Ohio State: kiss my ass).

By:Loner on 9/2/09 at 11:18

Good morning, Nashville!

WTF?! Another prolonged outtage (server not found), this is getting to be a regular feature of this online product. How can the NCP tolerate this?

Great LTE, D7. I read the transcript of Cheney's interview. I really think the man is delusional; he actually seems to believe his own propaganda.
Cheney is trying to head-off any serius investigatio into torture and prisoner abuse because he knows that the fuse leads directly to himself. Jr. Bush could continue to play dumb and let Cheney take the heat - this is Cheney's biggest fear.

Remember, Cheney personally killed 87 phaesant in a single afternoon while on a "hunting trip" in Latrobe Pa. That kind of blood lust borders on the pathological. Cheney's cowardly yet sadistic nature has been largely hidden from the public view, thanks to a compliant media.

Hiding behind the facade of "patriotism", Cheney must have enjoyed being in a position to order extraordinary rendition, waterboarding and the indefinite detention of suspects. Bush signed off on these filthy and counterproductive tactics, but it's a "slam dunk", sure thing that Dick Cheney was the mastermind behind this ghoulish activity.

I would like to see Cheney abducted by foreign agents and held in a secret prison while awaiting trial at the Hague on war crimes charges. That would be sweet irony indeed.

As Cheney also shot a fellow hunter, do you really think it was that good, or just claimed someone else's birds so he could crow. I have hunted many types of fowl, doves just yesterday, and never came close to shooting anyone else in the area.

By:brrrrk on 9/2/09 at 11:28

“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.” - Stephen Hawking

For those of you on the right, Hawking is the English Physicist that your side claims would have been left to die if he had to deal with the English health care system. Got to love that GOP logic. :0)

By:Blanketnazi2 on 9/2/09 at 11:34

brrrrk, "GOP logic" is an oxymoron.

By:MamaG on 9/2/09 at 11:41

good morning all...dang this delay in getting to post! I actually had to work, imagine that?!!!

blanket, have you been watching "The Clash of the Gods" on History channel? Pretty good series!

By:brrrrk on 9/2/09 at 11:53

Here's an interesting piece of information....

Kiefer Sutherland, the Canadian/British actor who plays Jack Bauer in 24 (the GOP wet dream show), did videos supporting the Canadian health care system in 2006. Turns out that his grand father is Tommy Douglas, the father of the Canadian health care system. In fact, a recent poll was taken among Canadians asking them who they thought the most important individual was in Canadian history and Tommy Douglas topped the list. Somehow I find that ironic......

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 12:00

By: gdiafante on 9/2/09 at 8:48
There is quite a correlation with our current state of affairs and Rome, isn't there nemo?
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It does not take a clairvoyant to understand what is going on. However the far right does not understand what is going on.

By:house_of_pain on 9/2/09 at 12:00

Service with a shrug again today. Nice.

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 12:05

By: Blanketnazi2 on 9/2/09 at 11:34
brrrrk, "GOP logic" is an oxymoron.
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Blanket that is not logical.

By:Blanketnazi2 on 9/2/09 at 12:10

hey ya, Mama! yes, I have been watching that. very very cool indeed! instead of supporting abortion I now support eating your children and reguritating them, just like the gods.

By:Captain Nemo on 9/2/09 at 12:14

By: brrrrk on 9/2/09 at 11:28
“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.” - Stephen Hawking
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Why did the chicken cross the road? Because it was destined to do so, because the fox was behind it, trying to advoid the fox hounds that were in pursuit of the fox.

By:house_of_pain on 9/2/09 at 12:32

Nemo, I thought the chicken crossed the road to get out of the Urban Services District.

By:Loner on 9/2/09 at 12:33

The birds were farm-raised and released just before the slaughter began, Bfra. Calling it a "hunt" is absurd. Cheney had nine others in his party, they got the other birds that Cheney had ordered. 100 birds were slaughtered by the Cheney party that afteroon.

We could have used a Rambo, like Cheney, in the jungles of Vietnam, but he was busy making love, not war - he knocked up his wife to escape the draft. He was a cheerleader for the war, but did not have the guts to join the miliatry. As I said, the man is a ghoulish creep and a coward..

By:daKine7 on 9/2/09 at 12:34

Loner: My God, you and baknat are the most eloquent verbose orators I've ever read. I admit, I have to have Webster's dictionary open when I read your stuff(s).
Suprised Sid Vicious hasn't weighed in on what a louse and a weasle I am, as yet.
And where's "girliegirl" been? Transgender assignment?